Former Chairman, Lagos State Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Mr Makinde Ogunleye, has identified lack of a defined national physical development plan as a hindrance to economic development.
Ogunleye told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Friday, July 6, 2018 that Nigeria needed a defined physical development plan to guide developments across states.
According to him, a development/project plan gives an overview of what is being required to embark on a project and how to execute it to have good results.
He claimed that governments had approved projects that had no feasibility study on how or when to be executed, due to lack of the plan.
The former chairman urged establishment of a functional regional plan at the local government level, sub-regional plan at the state level, and a master plan for cities.
Ogunleye said that the plans would foster economic development of the country.
“A physical national development plan will reveal the region of the country suitable for what purpose.
“Development plan provides directives on what are needed for a project and even the best time of the season to carry it out.
“A defined project plan is grossly lacking in our administrative system, and that is the major reason it became difficult for the government to execute and accomplish given projects,” he said.
He regretted lack of strict compliance to master plans in many Nigerian cities, and urged the Federal Government to direct cities, states and local governments to get appropriate development plans.
“Through a project plan, the government will be able to announce a project and predict when it will be accomplished.
“With this, it will be known by all citizens, and citizens will be able to approach government in respect of the project if the government fails to accomplish it within the specified period.’’
The ex-chairman added that the plan would serve as a guide to successive governments and enable them to start from where previous administrations stopped.
By Lilian Okoro
